Cupid.  How dey go?

Marthy.  I hear Miss Fair say she was gwine ter walk, and den Mars Bev say hit too far for her; dat she got ter ride de mule:  and she up an tell him ef it too far fer her ter walk, she ain’t gwine, ’cause it suttenly too far fer old Jack.

Cupid (indignant).  Jack’s er good mule yet, ef he is de onliest one we got lef.  Somehow I don’t feel exactly rite wid jes dem two hosses on de place sides dat ole mule; cose he’s a good mule yet, onderstan; but den I can’t get used to jes dem three.  I often set and study ’bout dem hosses and wonder whar de is, and ef de soldiers treat um good and ef dey gits dey feed regular, and ef—­

Marthy.  Ef dey gits de feed regular hit more dan what we does.  Since de soldiers bin comin’ what wid de sewin’ and de cookin’ and gibin’ way, I wonder dat we gits on er tall.  Not dat I grudge hit ter um—­law, no.  Wid us got Mars George and dey cousin Mars Carter, and dars Mars Gorden same as one ob de fambily, to say nothin’ ob Old Marster in de army.

Cupid.  And dars Mars Bev, most pester his mar to def ter let him go; but cose dat chile he too young; he ant more’n fou’teen.  But den I’m frade he gwine:  fer ef dat chile set his head on er thing, he good es got it.

Marthy.  Go on wid you!  Dat chile ant no mo’ gwine in de army dan what I is.  He know hit all but kill Ole Mistis when she let Mars George and Old Marster go; and den—­(her voice grows soft, she looks over toward the gate (Right)—­dar’s Mars Phil’s grave over dar.  She ant neber bin quite de same since dat ambulance wagen turn in at de gate.

Cupid.  Hits bin more’n two years ago; but sometimes hit ’pears like hit was only yestidy. (Marthy starts toward the gate).  Whar you gwine wid dem flowers?

Marthy.  Deys fer Miss Charlotte; she love ter hab um on de table.  ’Pears like hit mek hit sorter brighter fer um.

[Cupid goes to gate at back and stands looking anxiously off
down the road (Right).

Cupid.  I’m gettin’ mighty oneasy ’bout dem chullen.  Dey’s terbil careless ’bout demselves.

Marthy (stops on the steps and listens).  ’Pears like I hears a hoss.

Cupid.  Go on, nigger!  Didn’t I tell you dey walked to de mill?

[A horse’s hoofs are heard.

Marthy (laughs).  I hears hit all de same.

Cupid (drops hat in astonishment).  Hi! ef dey ant not one er my kerrige hosses!  Hi, dar!  Mars Bev!  Mars Bev!

[Enter at the back by the road Fair and Bev.  She is riding on
a big brown horse with a bag of meal before her.  She is
a beautiful young girl of about eighteen, simply dressed
in a pink cotton gown; her hair hangs in loose curls about
her face:  her hat is carried loosely in one hand; with the
other she is guiding the old horse.  Bev walks at her side,
with one hand on the bridle.  He is a very handsome boy of
about fourteen, with a gay, happy manner.  He is barefoot,
dressed in a soft white cotton shirt and blue homespun
trousers.  He is without hat or coat, and seems in the best
of spirits.  They stop at the gate, laughing.